The present invention is related to an optical/electric composite connector mounted on, for example, a vehicle so as to be used in optical communications.
Very recently, vehicle intelligence technologies are considerably progressed. For instance, while car navigation systems are employed, present positions of vehicles are displayed on maps. Also, vehicles are managed, for instance, traffic jams of vehicles may be solved while utilizing the ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems). In conjunction with such vehicle intelligence technologies, processing amounts of communication information such as data, images, and voice within vehicles are increased.
As a consequence, optical communications are carried out within vehicles such as automobiles with employment of optical fibers functioning. As this information transfer media having large capacities. The above-explained optical communication may be carried out as follows. That is, while light emitted from a light emitting element is entered into one end side of an optical fiber so as to be propagated through this optical fiber, this propagated light is received by a light receiving element which is provided on the other end side of the optical fiber. In general, when an optical fiber is connected to an optical element such as the above-described light emitting element and light receiving element, an optical connector is employed.
Also, a plastic optical fiber owns a large diameter, and may be easily handled, as compared with a glass optical fiber. As a consequence, such plastic optical fibers may be applied to communication purposes within vehicles.
An optical/electric composite connector is featured by comprising:
a first connector housing for storing thereinto an optical element; and
a second connector housing on which an electric terminal is provided; wherein:
the first connector housing is formed by electric conductive resin; and
the second connector housing is formed by non-electric conductive resin.